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April 27, 2009 - THE CALGARY HERALD Apollo's Fire is a baroque orchestra whose program Sunday night, closing the current Calgary Pro Musica season, was subtitled: Vivaldi and Rameau do Battle with Nature. Calgarians were doing their own battle with nature as our winter weather continues into spring, but it didn't deter the healthy-sized audience that showed up to enjoy the diverting and diverse program presented by the American guests. Apollo's Fire consists of about 20 performers, mixing strings, harpsichord, and wind instruments. It is about the size of a court orchestra during the eighteenth century, and its purpose is to present concerts that recreate the musical ambience of the period. To this effect, the conductor of the group, Jeannette Sorrell, not only directs but plays the harpsichord; the violinists take their turns at solo spots, retiring to section players when it is someone else's turn. A happy addition to the program was the presence of dancers Carlos Fittante and Catherine Turocy, dancers trained in the court dances of the era. Complete with attractive costumes, they added considerably to the enjoyment of the evening, offering a stylish account of Spanish-style courtship in dance form to the music of La Folia, one of the period's favourite pieces for variations. They also danced to the music of Les Indes Galantes by Jean Philip Rameau, a fanciful work that portrays Europe's fascination with exotic cultures as seen and understood at that time. The players of Apollo's Fire approach the modern Italian style of period performance to some extent, favouring relatively free tempi and a highly expressive delivery of the notes. This approach is particularly suited to the music in the concert, all of which is devoted to that element in baroque instrumental music that draws its inspiration from summer storms, storms at sea, earthquakes, and fire. The music performed was composed by Jean-Fery Rebel, Vivaldi, and Rameau, and was all played with energy and genuine commitment to musical values of these works. Giving a local touch to the program, the concert opened with the well-known hymn For the Beauty of the Earth, neatly and expressively sung by the Cantare Children's Choir, who also returned at the end to help close the evening. |
